Check-rower for corn-planters



NITED STATES PATENT FFIQEQ CH ECK-ROWER FOR COR N-PLANTERS:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,859, dated April 27, 1880.

Application filed February 16, l8 80.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. HUDSON, of Wellington, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Rowers for Corn- Planters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains -to make and use the same, reference'being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of seed planters known as check-row planters, adapted to traverse a rope having engaging-buttons and secured at each side or end of a field and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts which operate the seed-bar or feed-bar, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention I employ the usual drillrunners having feed-orifices which lead from a seed-box above, the feed being controlled by a reciprocating feed-bar, as shown, all being of ordinary well-known construction.

Pivoted to the feed-bar at a point convenient between the two seed-boxes or hoppers is a vertical lever, which is pivoted at or near its center to a cross-bar, which is rigid with the two hoppers, and at its upper end is provided with two or more sockets or holes for the reception of a link, which in turn is pivoted to an arm adjustably secured to an oscillating disk by means of a slot, as shown.

It will be observed that the adjustability of this arm, combined with the adjustability of the link in the feed-bar lever, allows the operator to shorten or lengthen the stroke of the feed-bar at will; and in these features lies the first part of my invention.

The oscillating disk is pivoted at its center to the main cross-bar, and furnishes loose hearings to receive links which connect it with the cord-levers above, and it is provided with a surface-projection, against which the links abut at the end of their stroke. The

cord-levers embrace and are pivoted to the main bar, and are provided each with a slot, through which the rope passesuntil a button engages a lever and forces it over, when the rope rides up the easy incline until the button passes through the enlargement in the jaws above, to engage in the same manner with the opposite lever.

To insure that the rope and buttons shall at all times properly engage and be held in the levers, I bifurcate each jaw so that either side of eachjaw has a downwardly-holding arm, as shown, and they can be operated with equal facility and success from either direction. A spring serves to hold the rope in place with additional security.

It will thus be observed that as soon as a button engages one of the rope-levers under the arm it is forced'in one direction until the button is released from that lever, and that this action, through the medium of the linkconnections with the oscillating disk, serves to throw the opposite lever into position to similarly engage and dispose of the same button, and that each button operates the feed-bar one full stroke forward and back.

In the construction, adaptation, and arrangement of these rope-levers lies the second part of my invention, and in their combina tion with the oscillating disk, feedb-ar and connecting-links rests the third part thereof.

Pivoted upon either end of the main crossbar is a metal plate, which is bent upon itself to form clearing arms or jaws on either side, the portions thus bent furnishing journal-bearings for friction-pulleys. The arms serve to clear the rope from 'weeds, stalks, and the like, and the duplex construction allows the machine to be used in either direction, and to turn at the end of a row and proceed in the opposite direction without trouble or annoyance, the roller or pulley at rest readily taking the rope for the return travel. In the construction of these rope carriages rests the fourth part of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the drill-runners, having feed-orifices a, connecting with hoppers B, controlled by a common feedbar, 00, as in ordinary devices of this character.

Working loosely at c in the feed-bar 0c is a vertical lever, U, which in turn is embraced by an arm, 0, having slot 0, adapted to receive a screw, by which it is secured adjustably to a rigid cross-bar, G and is pivoted at 0 within the socket of the arm 0. The upper end of the lever O is provided with holes 0 which receive one end of a link, D, which is loosely connected at d to an arm, D, having aslot, d, which receives a headed screw, 61 by means of which it is secured to an oscillating disk, E, as shown. By means of the holes 0 and slot d the length of the stroke of the feed-bar may be controlled at will.

The disk E is provided with a face-projection, 0, against which, at the end of their strokes in either direction, abut links E, loosely connecting the disk E to arms f of rope-levers F, arranged upon either side of the disk, all being pivoted to the main crossbar G, as shown. The levers F are jawed to form slots f, which receive the rope and enlarged spaces f through which the buttons pass. Each jaw is bifurcated to form arms F, which serve to hold a rope having buttons into engagement in either direction and a spring, f assists in this function.

Pivoted upon the main cross-bar G are plates 1, of metal, bent upon themselves to form bearing's I for pulleys 1 upon either side, the projecting ends being formed into clearing-arms 'i, as shown. This construction allows the machine to be turned in either direction without disengaging the rope, and effectually prevents choking or clogging of the rope by weeds, stalks, and thelike.

Various modifications in details may be made without departing from the principles or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

What 1 claim is l. The combination of the feed-bar 00, lever G, having adjustable holes 0 the adjustable arm 0 0 having adj usting-slot 0, link D, and arm D d, with the oscillating disk E, as and for the purposes of compound adjustability herein specified.

2. The rope-levers having arm f, jawed to form slot f, and enlarged orifices f each jaw being bifurcated to form holding-arms F, and provided with springf, combined with a buttoned rope and mechanism for operating feedbar, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the rope-levers F, as described, with a rope, link D, adjustable arm 0 0, disk E, lever 0, adjustable connection D, and feed-bar, as and for the purposes specified.

4. The pivoted plates 1, bent upon themselves to form duplex bearings I, and formed into independent clearing-arms 41, combined with pulleys 1 and a rope, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of J anuary, 1880.

JOHN W. HUDSON.

Witnesses:

R. M. HAMILTON, J. D. CALHOUN. 

